Concrete form locking means



Feb. 2, 1965 R. a. HOFFMAN 3,167,340

CONCRETE FORM LOCKING MEANS Filed May 28, 1962 JA MEA/ra/i Passer a. #qfM/A United States Patent 3,167,840 CONCRETE FORM LOCKING MEANS Robert G. Hofiman, New Milford, llL, assignor to Simplex Forms System, Inc, Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed May 28, 1962, Ser. No. 198,213 4 Claims. (Cl. 25-131) This invention relates to improved concrete form locking means and is more particularly concerned with providing a quickly applicable slotted lever for use in combination with concrete form locking means like that disclosed in Shoemaker Patent No. 2,898,659, the present improved multi-slotted, reversible, and therefore universally adaptable lever being applicable easily over the alignment stud on one of two form panels to span the width of a filler strip of any given dimension and make a tight connection with the tie-wire projecting through the slot in the end of the backing bar on the neighboring form panel to provide adequate backing for the filler strip when the concrete is poured and provide substantially as tight a connection between the neighoring form panels as would otherwise be provided by the conventional locking lever engageable with the alignment stud and tie-wire in the absence of the filler strip, the conventional locking lever being swung out of the way for the application of this adapter lever.

There are three important features in this adapter lever:

(1) The said lever has two sets of slots provided in longitudinally spaced relation on opposite sides in staggered relationship to receive the tie-wire when the filler strip is anywhere from one-half inch in width up to four inches wide, in steps of one-half inch;

(2) The said lever has a two-way keyhole-shaped slot provided therein vertically of the pivoting end, the enlarged middle portion of the slot being large enough in diameter for entry of the head of the alignment stud with either set of slots disposed on the bottom for connection with the tie-wire in whichever slot comes into alignment therewith, and

(3) The keyhole slot enables the same kind of camming action at either elongated end that is obtained with the regular locking lever when that is used in the absence of a filler strip, whereby to enable drawing the neighboring form panels together into tight abutment on opposite sides of the filler strip, nail holes being provided in the corner portions of the adapter lever to permit entering nails in whichever holes are properly located for that purpose, the adapter lever being appreciably wider than the backing bar and also enough wider than the regular locking lever so as to insure adequate projection of these corners above or below the backing bars to permit nailing the adapter lever in its final set position if that is considered necessary or desirable.

The invention is, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in whicli FIG. 1 is an outside view of a concrete form structure showing how the multi-slotted adapter lever of my invention is used when a small filler strip is required between neighboring form panels, making it impossible to use the regular locking lever, which in this view is shown swung to an out-of-the-way position;

FIG. 1A is the same as FIG. 1 but omits the adapter lever to better illustrate the parts with which said adapter lever is designed to cooperate;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one of the slotted adapter levers shown substantially full size;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are cross-sections on the lines 33 and 4-4 of FIG. 1, respectively.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts in these five views.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numerals 5 and 6 designate the outer and inner walls, respectively, of a concrete form structure, each of which comprises rectangular plywood form panels 7 and 8 which in most instances are detachably secured together in tight edge to edge abutment by means of locking bars or levers 9 pivoted on headed studs 10 on backing bars 11, the levers 9 in accordance with Shoemaker Patent No. 2,898,659 each having a vertical slot 12 in the pivoted end, and a vertical open end slot 13 in the free end to receive the flattened reduced portion 14 of the tie-wire 15 projecting from the bayonet slotted end 16 in the backing bar 17 on the abutting form panel 8 and not only tie the abutting form panels together but draw them into tight edge to edge abutment by cam action obtained at the slot 12 by vertical jogging of this slotted end relative to the stud 10, as described in Patent No. 2,898,659, and also support the form wall against displacement away from the other wall of the form by engagement behind shoulders 18 defined on the projecting end portion of the tie wire 15 next to the flattened reduced portion 14. A second headed stud 19 provided on backing bar 11 nearer the end thereof and in spaced parallel relation to stud 10 is received in another open end slot 20 provided in lever 9 intermediate the ends thereof and opening from the same longitudinal edge thereof as slot 13, whereby to obtain greater rigidity of the form structure as a whole and secure more accurate alignment of the ends of the backing bars 11 and 17 and panels 7 and 8 and accordingly improve the smoothness of the concrete foundation at the joints between abutting form panels, the slot 20 being widened outwardly, as shown, to receive the headed stud 19 in various positions of adjustment of the lever 9 relative thereto, and the head on the stud 19 being enlarged radially so as to overlap the sides of the slot 20 in various positions of adjustment of the lever to hold the lever in tight abutment with the outer side of both backing bars 11 and 17 and accordingly hold the abutting form panels in close alignment and coplanar relationship.

Addition of small width filler strips, like that shown at 21 between neighboring form panels, presents a problem because the locking bars or levers 9 are not designed to accommodate such strips. As a result, various makeshifts were used, as for example, strips of wood were nailed horizontally to the outer sides of the form structure transversely of and nailed to the filler strips, but that meant a considerable sacrifice of rigidity and damage to the form panels and consequently reduced useful life. Another serious objection was that such a make-shift usually meant a sacrifice in the smoothness of the surface of the concrete wall at these joints, due to the form panels not being drawn together into tight enough abutment with the opposite sides of the filler strip, and if a contractor was not careful enough in the fastening of the filler strip in this make-shift fashion, there was danger of a break-out. The adapter levers 22 provided in accordance with my invention have definitely solved the problem. The keyhole slot 23 in one end .is large enough I in diameter at the circularly enlarged middle portion 24 to slip over the head of the alignment stud 19 when the conventional locking lever 9 is swung to an out-of-the way position, and the narrower ends 25 of the slot which receive the reduced shank portion 26 of the stud are el-on" gated sufficiently to provide the desired amount of cam action when this slotted end of the lever 22 is jogged vertically similarly as the slotted end 12 of lever 9 relative to stud 1t). There are four open end slots 27 provided in evenly longitudinally spaced relation along one longitudinal edge portion of the lever 22 and a second set of evenly longitudinally spaced open end slots 28 is' provided along the other longitudinal edge portion of said lever but in staggered relationship to the first mentioned slots, each slot 28 being midway between two of the other slots, as clearly appears in FIG. 2. With one inch spacing between the slots of both sets, filler strips in increments of one-half inch from the narrowest strip of one-half inch Width on up to the widest strip of fourinch width can be accommodated, and,-due to the cam action obtainable by jogging the slotted end 23 vertically relative to the stud 19 when the tie-wire 15 is entered in one of the slots of either of the sets 27 and 28 there is, of course, a further take-up of a fraction of an inch, so that the filler strips can be madev to any given dimension within the range mentioned and the adapter levers 22 will lock nicely over the tie-wires in the same manner as the levers 9 in the absence of a filler strip. Either end 25 of the slot 23 can be used, thereby further increasing the adaptability of the levers 22' to meet the needs of any given application. The levers 22 can be used on the outer wall 5 or inner wall 6' of a form structure to equal advantage. The Widening of the outer ends 29 of the slots 27 and 28 facilitates the application of the levers 22 onto the tie-wires 15.

Holes 30 are provided in the four corners of each lever 22 to accommodate nails driven into the form panels 7 and 8 where the contractor believes that such an additional precaution is necessary or desirable to avoid any accidental loosening of a certain lever or levers 22, as tor example, at some especially critical point. The fact that the levers 22 are appreciably wider than the backing bars 11 and 17' insures the projection of one or more of these perforated corner portions 30 above or below one or the other or both of these backing bars to permit nailing in this manner, the nails 31 being usually driven in partway and bent over for clinching purposes, as shown, so that they may be readily pulled out later when the forms are being stripped.

Inoperation, the adapter lever-s 22 are applied Whenever and wherever a filler strip 21 is needed, the regular locking levers. 9 being then swung out of the way, :as shown in FIG. 1, leaving the alignment stud '19 that is otherwise used with the lever 9 available for use as the pivot stud for the adapter lever 22, the stud 19 being entered in the slot 23 through the enlarged circular middle portion 24. Either side of the adapter lever '22 may be outermost, depending on which set of slots 27 and 28 suits the needs of the given application, the levers 22. beingreversible and usable to equal advantage either way. The levers 22 are also usable with equal facility on the outer form wall 5 or the inner form wall 6. 'After the lever 22 has been applied to the stud 19 and swung down to enter the tie-wire into the appropriate slot 27 or 28, the form panels 7 and-8 can be drawn together tightly by jogging the slot-ted end 23 of the lever 22 vertically, and in that way the filler strip 21 is clamped tightly enough so that it need not be: nailed, although some contractors may enter one or more nails in the slots 27, as indicated'at 32: in FIG. 1, to eliminate any likelihood of the filler strip loosening. Usuall such nailing is not necessary nor'is there usually any necessity for nailing the levers 2-2,.1as at 31, to form panels 7 and 8. In other words, the filler strips 21iusually require only the support against outward displacement which the levers 22 afford.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The ap-pended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. In a concrete form structure, the combination of a pair of laterally spaced coplanar vertical form sections each comprising a panel having horizontally extending metal strips fastened to the outer side thereof, the end portions of said strips being approximately in horizontal alignment and adapted to be interconnected so as to interconnect said sections, one of said end portions having a projection thereon at right angles thereto and the other having a bayonet slot provided therein, a form spacer pin disposed at right angles to and protruding between the ends of said form sections and having an end portion engagingin said slot on which there is a head on the extremity providing a shoulder, said pin being detachably engageable in said slot and when so engaged being adapted to assume side pull to serve as a coupling pin in drawing the form sections together, "a verticalfiller strip which may be furnished in different widths to suit different requirements disposed in and filling the space between said form sections in coplanar relationship thereto, andan elongated straight and rigid lever of appreciably greater length than the filler'strips width engaging the outer side of and disposed substantially horizontally in transverse relationship to said filler strip and said form sections and detachably pivotally connected at one end on said projection and having a series of spaced vertical slots provided therein opening from each of its opposite longitudinal edges on its other end, the lever being reversible and the slots in the two series being staggered in relation to one another and accordingly differently spaced from the first mentioned end of the lever and adapted for selectively receiving the headed end of said pin in any one of said slots to fasten the form sections together supporting the filler strip in'abutrnent on its opposite side edges with the edges of said form sections, said projection being of cylindrical form to serve as a pivot, and said elongated lever having an elongated vertical slot provided in the first mentioned end slidably and pivotally receiving said pivot projection, whereby with either set of slots disposed for engagement of thespacer pin in one of said slots to permit adjustment of the first mentioned end of said lever vertically to compensate for misalignment of the spacer pin with respect to the pivot projection and also to enable loose connection of the lever with the spacer pin followed by drawing the form sections together against opposite sides of the filler strip by carn action by vertical movement of one end of said lever relative to the other end after such lever is connected with said pink 2. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pivot projection has a radially, enlarged head, said slot having a widened portion intermediate its ends wide enough to pass over said head to permit reversible detachable connection of said lever with said pivot projection alike with either set of slots disposed for engagemen-t'of one slot with the spacer pin. 3. A structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the lever is appreciably wider than either ofthe metal strips fastened to the outer side of said form sections to overlap the metal strips above and/or below the same and has holes provided in the upper and lower edge portions thereof adapted to receive nails orthe like above and/ or below said metal strips for fastening the lever to the form sections independently of the spacer pin and pivot projection.

4. As an article of manufacture, a form locking-lever for use with concrete forms, the same comprising an elongated, straight, generally rectangular plate or body having nail holes provided in the corner portionsthereof and also having a plurality of evenly spaced parallel slots opening from one longitudinal edgesubstantially at right angles thereto and a plurality of similarly spaced parallel tially at right angles theretoin staggered relation to the References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 362,094 5/87 Keppler 24-206 1,648,062 11/27 Russell 24-206 1,687,977 10/28 Ford 25-1315 2,714,755 8/55 Wright.

2,778,087 1/57 Kruper 25-131 6 8/59 Shoemaker 25-131 8/60 Imonetti 25-13 1 11/61 Kenney 25-131 9/62 Van Helden et a1 25-131 FOREIGN PATENTS 1/ 5 8 Austria. 3/24 France. 4/ 39 Great Britain. 8/ 5 1 Great Britain.

MICHAEL V. BRINDISI, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT F. WHITE, Examiner. 

1. IN A CONCRETE FORM STRUCTURE, THE COMBINATION OF A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED COPLANAR VERTICAL FORM SECTIONS EACH COMPRISING A PANEL HAVING HORIZONTALLLY EXTENDING METAL STRIPS FASTENED TO THE OUTER SIDE THEREOF, THE END PORTIONS OF SAID STRIPS BEING APPROXIMATELY IN HORIZONATL ALIGNMENT AND ADAPTED TO BE INTERCONNECTED SO AS TO INTERCONNECT SAID SECTION, ONE OF SAID END PORTIONS HAVING A PROJECTION THEREON AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO AND THE OTHER HAVING A BAYONET SLOT PROVIDED THEREIN, A FORM SPACER PIN DISPOSED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO AND PROTRUDING BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID FORM SECTIONS AND HAVING AN END PORTION ENGAGING IN SAID SLOT ON WHICH THERE IS A HEAD ON THE EXTREMITY PROVIDING A SHOULDER, SAID PIN BEING DETACHABLY ENGAGEABLE IN SAID SLOT AND WHEN SO ENGAGED BEING ADAPTED TO ASSUME SIDE PULL TO SERVE AS A COUPLING PIN IN DRAWING THE FORM SECTIONS TOGETHER, A VERTICAL FILLER STRIP WHICH MAY BE FURNISHED IN DIFFERENT WIDTHS TO SUIT DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS DISPOSED IN AND FILLING THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID FORM SECTIONS IN COPLANAR RELATIONSHIP THERETO, AND AN ELONGATED STRAIGHT AND RIGID LEVER OF APPRECIABLY GREATER LENGTH THAN THE FILLER STRIP''S WIDTH ENGAGING THE OUTER SIDE OF AND DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY IN TRANSVERSE RELATIONSHIP TO SAID FILLER STRIP AND SAID FORM SECTIONS AND DETACHABLY PIVOTALLY CONNECTED AT ONE END OF SAID PROJECTION AND HAVING A SERIES OF SPACED VERTICAL SLOTS PROVIDED THEREIN OPENING FROM EACH OF ITS OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL EDGES ON ITS OTHER END, THE LEVER BEING REVERSIBLE AND THE SLOTS IN THE TWO SERIES BEING STAGGERED IN RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER AND ACCORDINGLY DIFFERENTLY SPACED FROM THE FIRST MENTIONED END OF THE LEVER AND ADAPTED FOR SELECTIVELY RECEIVING THE HEADED END OF SAID PIN IN ANY ONE OF SAID SLOTS TO FASTEN THE FORM SECTIONS TOGETHER SUPPORTING THE FILLER STRIP IN ABUTMENT ON ITS OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES WITH THE EDGES OF SAID FORM SECTION, SAID PROJECTION BEING OF CYLINDRICAL FORM TO SERVE AS A PIVOT, AND SAID ELONGATED LEVER HAVING AN ELONGATED VERTICAL SLOT PROVIDED IN THE FIRST MENTIONED END SLIDABLY AND PIVOTALLY RECEIVING SAID PIVOT PROJECTION, WHEREBY WITH EITHER SET OF SLOTS DISPOSED FOR ENGAGEMENT OF THE SPACER PIN IN ONE OF SAID SLOTS TO PERMIT ADJUSTMENT OF THE FIRST MENTIONED END OF SAID LEVER VERTICALLY TO COMPENSATE FOR MISALIGNMENT OF THE SPACER PIN WITH RESPECT TO THE PIVOT PROJECTION AND ALSO TO ENABLE LOOSE CONNECTION OF TH ELEVER WITH THE SPACER PIN FOLLOWED BY DRAWING THE FORM SECTIONS TOGETHER AGAINST OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE FILLER STRIP BY CAM ACTION BY VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF ONE END OF SAID LEVER RELATIVE TO THE OTHER END AFTER SUCH LEVER IS CONNECTED WITH SAID PIN.
 4. AS AN ARTICLE MANUFACTURE, A FORM LOCKING LEVR FOR USE WITH CONCRETE FORMS, THE SAME COMPRISING AN ELONGATED, STRAIGHT, GENERALLY RECTANGULAR PLATE OR BODY HAVING NAIL HOLES PROVIDED IN THE CORNER PORTIONS THEREOF AND ALSO HAVING A PLURALITY OF EVENLY SPACED PARALLEL SLOTS OPENING FROM ONE LONGITUDINAL EDGE SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO AND A PLURALITY OF SIMILARLY SPACED PARALLEL SLOTS OPENING FROM THE OTHER LONGITUDINAL EDGE SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO IN STAGGERED RELATION TO THE FIRST MENTIONED SLOTS, THE SLOTS ALL HAVING FLARED OUTER ENDS, AND A SLOT FOR A PIVOT PIN PROVIDED IN ONE END PORTION PARALLEL TO THE OTHER SLOTS, THE SLOT HAVING AN ENLARGED PORTION AT THE MIDDLE THEREOF THROUGH WHICH THE HEAD ON A PIVOT PIN MAY BE ENTERED FREELY. 